Method of containing a pot or floral grouping in a sleeve having expandable sidewalls

ABSTRACT

A floral sleeve sized to fit about a flower pot or floral grouping. The sleeve has a base with side gussets and optionally bottom gussets for allowing expansion from a flattened position to an opened position. The sleeve may comprise a detachable upper portion, and a skirt portion. The sleeve is preferably secured about a pot or floral grouping via a banding element.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 10/897,554, filed Jul. 23, 2004, now abandoned; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 10/411,587, filed Apr. 10, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,301, issued Aug. 24, 2004; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 10/090,009, filed Feb. 27, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,919, issued Jun. 10, 2003; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/899,416, filed Jul. 5, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,388, issued Jun. 11, 2002; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/360,865, filed Jul. 23, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,578, issued Oct. 3, 2000; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/146,162, filed Sep. 2, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,310, issued Aug. 22, 2000; which is a continuation in part of Ser. No. 09/064,460, filed Apr. 22, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,830, issued on Nov. 28, 2000; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/788,616 filed Jan. 27, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,171, issued on May 12, 1998; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/237,078, filed May 3, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,979, issued on May 6, 1997. Each of these applications is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to sleeves, and, more particularly, to sleeves used to contain floral groupings and media, or used to wrap flower pots containing floral groupings and/or media containing floral groupings, and methods of using same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a sleeve having a gusset in each side thereof.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 1 partially expanded.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 2, taken along line 3-3 thereof.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 2 fully expanded and having a pot disposed therein, with the sleeve banded about the pot.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a sleeve similar to the sleeve of FIG. 1, the sleeve being partially expanded and having two gussets in each side of the sleeve.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of another sleeve constructed in accordance with the present invention and having a non-linear upper end.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a partially expanded sleeve having an upper portion detachable via a line of perforations.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a sleeve similar to the sleeve of FIG. 7 but having a non-linear line of perforations.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a partially expanded sleeve having a gusset in each side and having a bottom gusset, the bottom gusset being of a different configuration than the bottom gusset of the sleeves in FIGS. 1-8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a partially expanded sleeve similar to the sleeve of FIG. 9 but having a concave lower end.

FIG. 11 is a side view of a portion of a sleeve having a tapered side gusset.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 7 fully expanded and containing a plant and growing medium.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a preformed sleeve for covering a flower pot (also referred to herein as pot). The preformed sleeve has an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral surface. The preformed sleeve may also be used as a container for a plant. The preformed sleeve comprises a base portion having an upper end, a lower end, and an interior space sized to contain the flower pot or medium for containing a plant. A skirt portion may optionally extend from the upper end of the base portion. The preformed sleeve includes one or more expansion elements which are one or more gussets in each side of the base portion and, optionally, in the skirt portion, when present, and optionally, in an upper detachable portion when present. The preformed sleeve is initially formed in a flattened condition and may be shipped in a flattened condition or may be expanded to an open condition prior to shipment. The base portion of the sleeve optionally further includes a gusset in the bottom thereof. Each side and the bottom of the preformed sleeve may include more than one gusset therein. A bonding material may be disposed on an inner surface of the base portion for connecting the preformed sleeve to the flower pot. Alternatively, the sleeve may be secured to the pot via a banding element. The gusset functions to allow the base portion to expand to contain the flower pot and to conform to the shape of an outer peripheral surface of the flower pot when the flower pot is disposed within the preformed sleeve. The preformed sleeve may further include a detachable upper sleeve portion generally sized to enclose a floral grouping, and which when detached, may allow the skirt portion, if present, to extend away from the base portion when the flower pot is disposed within the base portion of the preformed sleeve. The upper portion, when present, may be detachable via perforations, tear strips, weakened areas, or zippers. The upper sleeve portion may have an area which serves as a handle or support device. The gussets may extend the entire length from the lower end of the base portion to the upper end of the preformed sleeve or may extend only an intermediate distance therebetween.

The expansion elements are not intended to be limited only to the gussets shown herein, in view of the fact that gussets and their manufacture are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art of manufacturing bags.

The preformed sleeve may form part of a plant package when used in conjunction with the flower pot which is disposed within the retaining space of the base portion of the preformed sleeve, the flower pot having a floral grouping disposed therein, and wherein the flower pot is substantially surrounded and encompassed by the base portion of the preformed sleeve and the floral grouping is substantially surrounded and enclosed by the upper sleeve portion of the preformed sleeve in those embodiments wherein the upper sleeve portion forms a part of the preformed sleeve.

Further, the detachable upper sleeve portion, when present, may extend from the upper end of the skirt, when present, or it may be connected to the base portion. When the upper sleeve portion is connected to the base portion, it may be connected to an inner portion of the base portion, leaving the skirt portion exposed, or it may be attached to an outer portion of the base portion, thereby enclosing the skirt portion until the upper sleeve portion is detached from the base portion thereby exposing the skirt portion.

The preformed sleeve may be constructed from one or more types of material. The preformed sleeve may comprise a portion of a plant package which additionally includes the flower pot disposed within the preformed sleeve, the flower pot having a floral grouping disposed therein, and wherein the flower pot is substantially surrounded and encompassed by the base portion of the preformed sleeve. Alternatively, the plant package may comprise only the preformed sleeve, a plant, and a medium for containing the plant.

These embodiments and others of the present invention are now described in more detail below. It will be appreciated that the examples provided herein are not intended to limit the scope and extent of the claimed invention but are only intended to exemplify various embodiments of the invention contemplated herein.

The Embodiments and Methods of Use of FIGS. 1-12

Shown in FIGS. 1-4, and designated therein by the general reference numeral 10, is a flexible preformed tubular sleeve (also referred to herein as sleeve 10). The sleeve 10 is initially formed in a flexible flat collapsed state which is openable in the form of a tube or sleeve having a closed bottom, or a closed bottom having drainage holes or a partially open bottom. Prior to shipment to a user, or prior to use by the user, the sleeve 10 may be expanded into an opened configuration. The sleeve 10 is preferably tapered outwardly from a lower end 14 toward a larger diameter at an upper end 12. In the flattened state, the sleeve 10 preferably has an overall trapezoidal or modified trapezoidal shape, and when opened is substantially frusto-conical. It will be appreciated, however, that the sleeve 10 may be variations on the aforementioned shapes or may be significantly altered shapes, such as square or rectangular, as long as the sleeve 10 functions in accordance with the present invention in the manner described herein.

The sleeve 10, in addition to the upper end 12 and the lower end 14, has a first side 16 and a second side 18 when the sleeve 10 is in the flattened state, as shown in FIG. 1. The sleeve 10 has an opening 13 (FIG. 2) at the upper end 12 and is closed with a bottom 15 at the lower end 14. The sleeve 10 also has an inner peripheral surface 17 which, when the sleeve 10 is opened, defines and encompasses an inner retaining space 36, as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The first side 16 includes a first side gusset 20 having an inner fold 22. The second side 18 includes a second side gusset 24 having an inner fold 26. A portion of the lower end 14 of the sleeve 10 is preferably folded to form one or more bottom gussets 28 constructed in a manner well known to one of ordinary skill in the art as shown in FIG. 1, for permitting a bottom of an object such as a potted plant to be disposed into the inner retaining space 36 of the sleeve 10. Each bottom gusset 28 of the sleeve 10 has an inner fold 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The lower end 14 of the sleeve 10, and particularly the bottom gusset 28 therein, may be constructed to form a round bottom sleeve in the manner shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,395, the specification of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein in its entirety. A sleeve in an alternate embodiment may be constructed without a gusset in its lower end. In another embodiment, the bottom gusset 28 may be constructed in a different configuration from that shown herein. The sleeve 10 further comprises a first panel 32 disposed between sides 16 and 18, and a second panel 34 disposed between sides 16 and 18, opposite panel 32, substantially as shown in FIG. 2.

Further, the sleeve 10 may have any shape, whether geometric, non-geometric, asymmetrical and/or fanciful as long as it functions in accordance with the present invention. The sleeve 10 may also be equipped with a drainage element (e.g., one or more holes) in the lower end 14 thereof or ventilation holes (not shown), or the sleeve 10 can be made from permeable or impermeable materials.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve 10 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2. The sleeve 10 is partially expanded, showing the first side gusset 20 with inner fold 22, the second side gusset 24 with inner fold 26, the first panel 32 and the second panel 34 and the inner peripheral surface 18 which, when the sleeve 10 is opened, defines the inner retaining space 36. When the sleeve 10 is in the fully open configuration, as shown in FIG. 4, the first and second side gussets 20 and 24 are expanded to form sides 16 and 18 of the sleeve 10, respectively. Similarly, bottom gusset 28 is opened to form the bottom 15 of the sleeve 10 when the bottom gusset 28 is present. Preferably, the sleeve 10 is sized to contain and conform to one of a variety of standard sizes of flower pots known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as 4- inch, 5- inch, 6- inch, 7- inch and 8- inch flower pots. As noted above, the sleeve 10 may be used to contain a plant and a growing medium without the use of a flower pot.

As shown in FIG. 4, the sleeve 10 in the opened condition contains a pot 37. Preferably the sleeve 10 is secured about the pot 37 via a banding element 38 which is automatically or manually placed thereabout. The banding element 38 may be disposed below an upper rim 37 a of the pot 37 as shown in FIG. 4, or above the upper rim 37 a. The pot 37 may have a floral grouping (also referred to herein as a plant) 72, and a growing medium 70 disposed therein. Any of the other sleeves described herein may be secured about the pot 37 in a similar manner by the banding element 38. The banding element 38 may be a string, a tie, a wire, a ribbon, an elastic band, a rigid collar, a heat shrink material, or any other type of banding device known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

A sleeve 10 a contemplated herein may have more than one side and/or bottom gusset, for example as shown in FIG. 5. Sleeve 10 a is provided with an upper end 12 a, a lower end 14 a, a first side 16 a and a second side 18 a. The sleeve 10 a has two gussets 20 a and 20 aa in the first side 16 a, and two gussets 24 a and 24 aa in the second side 18 a. The sleeve 10 a further has a first panel 32 a and a second panel 34 a.

FIG. 6 shows a sleeve 10 b having a curved, or non-linear, upper end 12 b and a bottom gusset 28 b. The non-linear upper end 12 b, which constitutes a skirt portion 39, may be wavy, sinusoidal, scalloped, crenulate, crenelate, zig-zagged, or toothed, in any regular or irregular pattern.

The invention further contemplates a sleeve 10 c shown in FIG. 7. Sleeve 10 c is constructed in a manner similar to any of sleeves 10-10 b, except sleeve 10 c includes a lower portion 40 and an upper portion 42. The upper portion 42 is detachable from the lower portion 40 via a detaching element, such as perforations 44. The sleeve 10 c has a first side gusset 20 c having inner fold 22 c, a second side gusset 24 c having inner fold 26 c, and a bottom gusset 28 c, similar to the previously-described sleeves. The term “detaching element,” as used generally herein, means any element, or combination of elements, or features, such as, but not by way of limitation, perforations, tear strips, weakened areas, zippers, and any other devices or elements of this nature known in the art, or any combination thereof, which enable the tearing away or detachment of one object from another. Therefore, while perforations 44 are shown and described in detail herein, it will be understood that tear strips, zippers, or any other “detaching elements” known in the art, or any combination thereof, could be substituted therefore and/or used therewith. Preferably, the upper portion 42 is sized to substantially enclose a floral grouping, and lower portion 40 is sized to contain and enclose a flower pot.

FIG. 8 shows a sleeve 10 d similar to sleeve 10 c except sleeve 10 d includes a lower portion 46 and an upper portion 48 which is detachable from the lower portion 46 via a detaching element, such as perforations 50 having a non-linear pattern. The perforations 50 may have one of the same patterns as described above for the upper end 12 b of sleeve 10 b. Sleeve 10 d further includes an upper end 12 d, a first side 16 d and a second side 18 d, each side with a gusset 20 d and 24 d, respectively, and a lower end 14 d with a gusset 28 d.

As noted elsewhere herein, the configurations of the gussets shown in the sleeves 10-10 d of FIGS. 1-8 are not the only configurations contemplated for the present invention. Any gusset which functions in accordance with the present invention may be used. For example, FIG. 9 shows a sleeve 10 e having an upper end 12 e, a first side 16 e having a first side gusset 20 e with an inner fold 22 e, and a second side 18 e having a second side gusset 24 e with an inner fold 26 e and a lower end 14 e having a bottom gusset 28 e with an inner fold 30 e, which comprise configurations different from corresponding features of the sleeves of FIGS. 1-8. Sleeve 10 e, however, functions in essentially the same manner, and is otherwise constructed in the same manner, as the sleeves of FIGS. 1-8.

FIG. 10 shows a sleeve 10 f which is constructed in a manner similar to that of sleeve 10 e in FIG. 9, except for the configuration of a lower end 14 f of the sleeve 10 f. Sleeve 10 f has an upper end 12 f, the lower end 14 f, a first side 16 f with a first side gusset 20 f having an inner fold 22 f, and a second side 18 f with a second side gusset 24 f having an inner fold 26 f. The lower end 14 f has a bottom gusset 28 f having an inner fold 30 f. The bottom gusset 28 f has curved portions 52 and 54 which provide the lower end 14 f of the sleeve 10 f with the appearance of being curved when in the flattened condition. The gusset 28 f also has curved portions 56 and 58 in the first side 16 f and curved portions 60 and 62 in the second side 18 f. The curved portions 52-62 of the bottom gusset 28 f provide the sleeve 10 f with a rounded bottom in the open condition for more closely conforming to the rounded configuration of a round-bottom flower pot.

Any sleeve described herein may be constructed in a manner similar to a sleeve 10 g shown in FIG. 11, wherein a side gusset 20 g having an inner fold 22 g in a first side 16 g is tapered to have a lesser width 64 at a lower end 14 g and a greater width 66 at an upper end 12 g. Such a configuration enables the sleeve 10 g to have a tapered shape not only in the dimension spanning the first and second panels 32 g and 34 g, respectively, but also in the dimension spanning sides (not shown) of the sleeve 10 g.

FIG. 12 shows the sleeve 10 c of FIG. 7, having the lower portion 40 and upper portion 42 which are separable via perforations 44, the sleeve 10 c being used as a container for a plant medium 70 and a plant 72, disposed within the medium 70 without using a flower pot. In a preferred version, the lower portion 40 is constructed of a material resistant or impermeable to leakage, while the upper portion 42 is primarily constructed of a thinner transparent or translucent material.

The material from which the sleeves 10-10 g are constructed preferably has a thickness in a range from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mil. Often, the thicknesses of the sleeves 10-10 g are in a range from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil. Preferably, each of the sleeves 10-10 g has a thickness in a range from about 1.0 mil to about 5 mil. More preferably, the sleeves 10-10 g are constructed from a material which is flexible, semi-rigid, rigid, or any combination thereof. The sleeves 10-10 g may be constructed of a single layer of material or a plurality of layers of the same or different types of materials. Any thickness of the material may be utilized as long as the material functions in accordance with the present invention and is expandable to an open position as described herein. The layers of material comprising the sleeves 10-10 g may be connected together or laminated or may be separate layers. Such materials used to construct the sleeves 10-10 g are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,637 entitled “Method For Wrapping A Floral Grouping” issued to Weder et al., on May 12, 1992, which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. Any thickness of material may be utilized in accordance with the present invention as long as the sleeves 10-10 g may be formed as described herein, and as long as the formed sleeves 10-10 g may contain at least a portion of a flower pot or potted plant or a floral grouping, as described herein. Additionally, an insulating material such as bubble film, preferably one of two or more layers, can be utilized in order to provide additional protection for the item, such as the floral grouping, contained therein.

In one embodiment, the sleeves 10-10 g may be constructed from a sheet comprising two polypropylene films. The polypropylene films comprising the sleeves 10-10 g may be connected together or laminated or may be separate layers. In an alternative embodiment, the sleeves 10-10 g may be constructed from only one of the polypropylene films.

The sleeves 10-10 g are constructed from any suitable material that is capable of being formed into a sleeve and wrapped about a flower pot and a floral grouping disposed therein. Preferably, the material comprises paper (untreated or treated in any manner), metal foil, polymeric film, non-polymeric film, fabric (woven or nonwoven or synthetic or natural), cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, or laminations or combinations thereof.

The term “polymeric film” means a man-made polymer such as a polypropylene or a naturally occurring polymer such as cellophane. A polymeric film is relatively strong and not as subject to tearing (substantially non-tearable), as might be the case with paper or foil.

The material comprising the sleeves 10-10 g may vary in color and may consist of designs or decorative patterns which are printed, etched, and/or embossed thereon using inks or other printing materials. An example of an ink which may be applied to the surface of the material is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,706 entitled “Water Based Ink On Foil And/Or Synthetic Organic Polymer” issued to Kingman on Sep. 15, 1992 and which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

In addition, the material may have various colorings, coatings, flocking and/or metallic finishes, or other decorative surface ornamentation applied separately or simultaneously or may be characterized totally or partially by pearlescent, translucent, transparent, iridescent, neon, or the like, qualities. The material may further comprise, or have applied thereto, one or more scents. Each of the above-named characteristics may occur alone or in combination and may be applied to an upper and/or lower surface of the material comprising the sleeves 10-10 g. Moreover, portions of the material used in constructing the sleeves 10-10 g may vary in the combination of such characteristics. The material utilized for the sleeves 10-10 g may be opaque, translucent, transparent, or partially clear or tinted transparent.

The term “floral grouping” as used herein means cut fresh flowers, artificial flowers, a single flower or other fresh and/or artificial plants or other floral materials and may include other secondary plants and/or ornamentation or artificial or natural materials which add to the aesthetics of the overall floral grouping. The floral grouping comprises a bloom or foliage portion and a stem portion. Further, the floral grouping may comprise a growing potted plant having a root portion (not shown) as well. However, it will be appreciated that the floral grouping may consist of only a single bloom or only foliage, or a botanical item (not shown), or a propagule (not shown). The term “floral grouping” may be used interchangeably herein with both the terms “floral arrangement” and “potted plant”. The term “floral grouping” may also be used interchangeably herein with the terms “botanical item” and/or “propagule.”

The term “growing medium” when used herein means any liquid, solid or gaseous material used for plant growth or for the cultivation of propagules, including organic and inorganic materials such as soil, humus, perlite, vermiculite, sand, water, and including the nutrients, fertilizers or hormones or combinations thereof required by the plants or propagules for growth.

The term “botanical item” when used herein means a natural or artificial herbaceous or woody plant, taken singly or in combination. The term “botanical item” also means any portion or portions of natural or artificial herbaceous or woody plants including stems, leaves, flowers, blossoms, buds, blooms, cones, or roots, taken singly or in combination, or in groupings of such portions such as bouquet or floral grouping.

The term “propagule” when used herein means any structure capable of being propagated or acting as an agent of reproduction including seeds, shoots, stems, runners, tubers, plants, leaves, roots or spores.

In accordance with the present invention, a bonding material may be disposed on a portion of the sleeves 10-10 g to assist in holding the sleeves 10-10 g to the flowerpot with or without the bonding element 38 when such a flowerpot is disposed within the sleeves 10-10 g or to assist in closing or sealing the upper portion of the sleeves 10-10 g or in adhering the sleeves 10-10 g to the flower pot after the flower pot has been disposed therein; for example, in the manner shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,809, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

It will be understood that the bonding material may be disposed as a strip or block on a surface of the sleeves 10-10 g. The bonding material may also be disposed upon either an outer peripheral surface or an inner peripheral surface of any of the sleeves 10-10 g, as well as upon the flower pot. Further, the bonding material may be disposed as spots of bonding material, or in any other geometric, non-geometric, asymmetric, or fanciful form, and in any pattern including covering either the entire inner peripheral surface and/or outer peripheral surface of any of the sleeves 10-10 g and/or the flower pot. The bonding material may be covered by a cover or release strip which can be removed prior to the use of the sleeve and/or flower pot. The bonding material can be applied by means known to those of ordinary skill in their art. One method for disposing a bonding material, in this case an adhesive, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,637 entitled “Method For Wrapping A Floral Grouping” issued to Weder et al., on May 12, 1992, which has been expressly incorporated by reference above.

The term “bonding material,” when used herein means an adhesive, frequently a pressure sensitive adhesive, or a cohesive. When the bonding material is a cohesive, a similar cohesive material must be placed on the adjacent surface for bondingly contacting and bondingly engaging with the cohesive material. The term “bonding material” also includes materials which are heat sealable and, in this instance, the adjacent portions of the material must be brought into contact and then heat must be applied to effect the seal. The term “bonding material” also includes materials which are sonic sealable and vibratory sealable. The term “bonding material,” when used herein also means a heat sealing lacquer or hot melt material which may be applied to the material and, in this instance, heat, sound waves, or vibrations, also must be applied to effect the sealing.

In one version of the present invention a strip of bonding material (not shown) may be disposed adjacent the upper end of the sleeve for allowing the upper end to be sealed for enclosing the upper portion of the sleeve about a floral grouping disposed therein. In another version of the present invention, a sleeve may comprise a flap positioned at the upper end which can be folded over and sealed with a flap bonding strip to an adjacent portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve near the upper end thereof. Other versions of the sleeve (not shown) may include ventilation holes or drainage means (e.g., holes in the lower end 14) for allowing movement of gases-or moisture to and away from the inner space of the sleeve.

In another embodiment, the sleeve, may further comprise an extended portion having apertures therein, which portion extends away from a portion of the upper end of the sleeve for allowing the sleeve to be supported on a support assembly commercially available and known by one of ordinary skill in the art such as a pair of wickets for shipment, storage, assembly of the sleeve, placement of the flower pot within the sleeve, or other functions known in the art. The extension may have a plurality of perforations or other detaching means for allowing the extension to be removed from the upper end sleeve after the sleeve has been provided for use as described elsewhere herein. In another version of the invention a sleeve has an extended portion comprising a handle for carrying the potted plant package by the sleeve. The sleeve may further comprise a detaching element comprising perforations for removing the handle at a later time.

Other versions of the present invention may comprise additional perforated areas for enhancing angularity of the extension of a skirt portion away from a base portion after an upper portion of the sleeve has been detached. Examples of such sleeves described above herein comprising these additional features are shown in FIGS. 6-8 and 14-20 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,979 and the corresponding descriptions therein, which are specifically hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Each side gusset of the sleeve comprises one or more areas of excess material which may have the form of a pleat which extends from the lower end to the upper end of the sleeve. Preferably the surfaces of the facing surfaces of the gussets are substantially unconnected to each other along their lengths.

The side gussets in the sleeve contemplated herein may be constructed in such a way that each side gusset extends completely from the lower end of the sleeve to the upper end of the sleeve, for example as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, a sleeve may comprise gussets which extend from the upper end only part of the distance toward the lower end or from the lower end to only the part of the distance toward the upper end.

It will generally be desired to use the sleeve 10 as a covering for a potted plant.

The term “flower pot” as used herein refers to any type of container used for holding a floral grouping or plant. Examples of flower pots, used in accordance with the present invention include, but not by way of limitation, clay pots, foam pots, wooden pots, plastic pots, pots made from natural and/or synthetic fibers, or any combination thereof. The flower pot is adapted to receive a floral grouping in the retaining space. The floral grouping may be disposed within the flower pot along with a suitable growing medium described in further detail below, or other retaining medium, such as a floral foam. It will also be understood that the floral grouping, and any appropriate growing medium or other retaining medium, may be disposed in the sleeve without a flower pot (see FIG. 12).

It will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art that equipment and devices for forming floral sleeves are commercially available, and are well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the sleeves described herein may be formed by advancing two separate webs, one or two webs preformed in the form of a tube, or a single web folded double and sealing the longitudinal sides and bottom of the two facing panels then cutting the sleeve thus formed from the webs or web. Machines which can form sleeves from such single webs or pairs of webs are well within the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art.

It should also be noted that for all versions of sleeves described, it may be desirable to have a release material or cover strip covering the adhesive or cohesive bonding material when such a bonding material is disposed on any portion of the sleeve for preventing the bonding material from bonding to another surface until the desired time. Further, in each of the cases described herein wherein a sleeve is applied to a flower pot or a covered pot, the sleeve may be applied thereto either by depositing the flower pot or covered pot downwardly into the open retaining space of the sleeve, or the sleeve may be brought upwardly about the flower pot or covered pot from below the flower pot or a covered pot.

It should be further noted that various features of the versions of the present invention such as closure bonding areas, support extensions, handles, additional perforations, drainage means, ventilation holes, combinations of material may be used alone or in combination as elements of any of the embodiments described above herein.

Changes may be made in the construction and the operation of the various components, elements and assemblies described herein or in the steps or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. 

1. A method of containing a pot, comprising the steps of: providing a decorative preformed sleeve initially having a flattened condition prior to being opened for use, and having an upper end, an open lower end, a first side, a second side, a first panel and a second panel, the decorative preformed sleeve having a base portion and a skirt portion and having a tapered shape wherein the lower end is narrower than the upper end, the decorative preformed sleeve having at least one expansion element in at least one of the first side and the second side; opening the decorative preformed sleeve from the flattened condition by expanding the at least one expansion element in the decorative preformed sleeve, thereby forming an opened decorative sleeve; and disposing a pot within the opened decorative sleeve wherein the at least one expansion element allows the base portion of the decorative preformed sleeve to expand and to substantially conform to the shape of the pot disposed therein.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the at least one expansion element has an inner fold.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of disposing a pot within the decorative opened sleeve, the skirt portion of the decorative preformed sleeve extends above an upper end of the pot.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the skirt portion has an upper end having a non-linear pattern.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the decorative preformed sleeve further comprises an upper portion which is detachable via a detaching element selected from the group consisting of perforations, tear strips, zippers and combinations thereof.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the detachable upper portion of the decorative preformed sleeve is adapted to enable the decorative preformed sleeve to be supported on a support assembly.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the detachable upper portion of the decorative preformed sleeve is sized to substantially enclose a floral grouping or plant disposed within the pot.
 8. The method of claim 5 wherein the detachable upper portion of the decorative preformed sleeve is detachable via perforations having a non-linear pattern.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the decorative preformed sleeve further comprises an adhesive or cohesive bonding material disposed upon a portion thereof.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the decorative preformed sleeve is constructed from paper, metal foil, polymeric film, non-polymeric film, fabric, cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, or laminations or combinations thereof.
 11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of securing the opened decorative sleeve about the pot with a banding element selected from the group consisting of a string, a tie, a wire, a ribbon, an elastic band, a plastic strip or tube, a heat shrink material, a rigid collar, an adhesive or cohesive bonding material, a heat sealable material, a sonic sealable material, a vibratory sealable material, a heat sealing lacquer, a heat sealable material, and combinations thereof.
 12. A method of containing a pot, comprising the steps of: providing a decorative preformed sleeve initially having a flattened condition prior to being opened for use, and having an upper end, a closed lower end forming a bottom of the decorative preformed sleeve, a first side, a second side, a first panel and a second panel, the decorative preformed sleeve having a base portion and a skirt portion and having a tapered shape wherein the lower end is narrower than the upper end, the decorative preformed sleeve having at least one expansion element in at least one of the first side and the second side; opening the decorative preformed sleeve from the flattened condition by expanding the at least one expansion element in the decorative preformed sleeve, thereby forming an opened decorative sleeve; and disposing a pot within the opened decorative sleeve wherein the at least one expansion element allows the base portion of the decorative preformed sleeve to expand and to substantially conform to the shape of the pot disposed therein, and wherein the bottom of the decorative preformed sleeve closely conforms to the configuration of a bottom of the pot.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the at least one expansion element has an inner fold.
 14. The method of claim 12 wherein, in the step of disposing a pot within the decorative opened sleeve, the skirt portion of the decorative preformed sleeve extends above an upper end of the pot.
 15. The method of claim 12 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the skirt portion has an upper end having a non-linear pattern.
 16. The method of claim 12 wherein in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the decorative preformed sleeve further comprises an upper portion which is detachable via a detaching element selected from the group consisting of perforations, tear strips, zippers and combinations thereof.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the detachable upper portion of the decorative preformed sleeve is adapted to enable the decorative preformed sleeve to be supported on a support assembly.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the detachable upper portion of the decorative preformed sleeve is sized to substantially enclose a floral grouping or plant disposed within the pot.
 19. The method of claim 16 wherein the detachable upper portion of the decorative preformed sleeve is detachable via perforations having a non-linear pattern.
 20. The method of claim 12 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the decorative preformed sleeve further comprises an adhesive or cohesive bonding material disposed upon a portion thereof.
 21. The method of claim 12 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the decorative preformed sleeve is constructed from paper, metal foil, polymeric film, non-polymeric film, fabric, cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, or laminations or combinations thereof.
 22. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of securing the opened decorative sleeve about the pot with a banding element selected from the group consisting of a string, a tie, a wire, a ribbon, an elastic band, a plastic strip or tube, a heat shrink material, a rigid collar, an adhesive or cohesive bonding material, a heat sealable material, a sonic sealable material, a vibratory sealable material, a heat sealing lacquer, a heat sealable material, and combinations thereof.
 23. The method of claim 12 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the closed lower end of the decorative preformed sleeve is curved.
 24. The method of claim 12 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the closed lower end is provided with at least one of a drainage hole and a ventilation hole therein.
 25. A method of containing a floral grouping, comprising the steps of: providing a decorative preformed sleeve initially having a flattened condition prior to being opened for use, and having an upper end, a lower end, a first side, a second side, a first panel and a second panel, the decorative preformed sleeve having a tapered shape wherein the lower end is narrower than the upper end, the decorative preformed sleeve having at least one expansion element in at least one of the first side and the second side; opening the decorative preformed sleeve from the flattened condition by expanding the at least one expansion element in the decorative preformed sleeve, thereby forming an opened decorative sleeve; and disposing a floral grouping within the opened decorative sleeve wherein the at least one expansion element allows the base portion of the decorative preformed sleeve to expand and to substantially conform to the shape of the floral grouping disposed therein.
 26. The method of claim 25 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the at least one expansion element has an inner fold.
 27. The method of claim 25 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the decorative preformed sleeve further comprises an upper portion which is detachable via a detaching element selected from the group consisting of perforations, tear strips, zippers and combinations thereof.
 28. The method of claim 25 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the decorative preformed sleeve further comprises an adhesive or cohesive bonding material disposed upon a portion thereof.
 29. The method of claim 25 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the decorative preformed sleeve is constructed from paper, metal foil, polymeric film, non-polymeric film, fabric, cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, or laminations or combinations thereof.
 30. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of securing the opened decorative sleeve about the pot with a banding element selected from the group consisting of a string, a tie, a wire, a ribbon, an elastic band, a plastic strip or tube, a heat shrink material, a rigid collar, an adhesive or cohesive bonding material, a heat sealable material, a sonic sealable material, a vibratory sealable material, a heat sealing lacquer, a heat sealable material, and combinations thereof.
 31. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the lower end of the decorative preformed sleeve is open.
 32. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of providing a decorative preformed sleeve, the lower end of the decorative preformed sleeve is closed. 